Kogiflame.com
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University Lokoja branch on Monday appealed to the minister of education Alhaji Adamu Adamu to prevail on the Vice Chancellor of the institution Professor Angela Freeman Miri to prioritize the welfare of the lecturers and other staff of the institution.
Addressing newsmen at the premises of the university on Monday, the branch chairman of ASUU , Dr Folorunsho Josept, said the Vice Chancellor has been handling the payment of staff salaries and welfare with levity since she took over the mantle of leadership of the institution since February 2016.
According to him “Since the Vice Chancellor came into the university , she has not done any promotion exercise, our members are suffering , she refused to promote any body. She is holding the destiny .
“There are lecturers in this university that are due for promotion since 2017, 2018 and 2019 but Miri refused to conduct promotion while most universities in the country are on 2019 promotion. We have been complaining vehemently all to no avail because the welfare and well being of staff in the institution are not her concern”
The Chairman who noted that the union is a peaceful union , stressed that ASUU on several occasion discussed with the management on issues that affects the staff , but regrettably the Vice Chancellor decline to attend to any of the promises.
“There is no university in Nigeria where Personal Income Tax is being implemented excerpt in Federal University Lokoja which has jumped up from 6,000 naira to 15,000 naira and the Vice Chancellor does not want us to talk.
“This is the only university where there is no welfare package for staff instead the staff have to save to be able to pay their children’s school fees, pay house rent and feed their families. We are working under harsh condition” he lamented .
The union further alleged that their struggle brought into the institution the sum of 104 million naira from the federal government as revitalization funds meant for repairs of classrooms and offices , lamenting that after several months Professor Miri have not decided on what to do with the money leaving the classrooms and offices in a parlous state.
“This torture is enough we can no longer take it that is why we are appealing to the federal government and the society to help us ask the Vice Chancellor what is her problem and why have she refused to attend to the welfare of the staff after all promotion is not a privilege , it is a right we all work for, and we deserve it among other privileges” the ASUU chairman noted.
